Utrecht’s de Haar Castle features majestic gardens patterned after the Palace of Versailles, beautifully ornate interior details, and remarkable tapestries making de Haar Castle a must-see day trip on your visit to Holland, just has been for prominent international guests for centuries. The castle is also very easy to get to from the closeby cities of Amsterdam, Utrecht and The Hague.
Read on to see original pictures of Castle De Haar and what you need to know before visiting Holland’s Largest, most preserved Castle in this authentic travel guide to this much beloved Dutch travel destination.
De Haar Castle’s intruiging past
Located in the countryside just 10kms outside of the historical city of Utrecht, and a short 30 minutes south of Amsterdam, de Haar Castle, or Kasteel de Haar, stands prominently as the Dutch nation’s largest and most impressive fully restored castle.
Tragedy, destruction, and rebirth all feature in Castle de Haar’s turbulent history. Over the ages, de Haar Castle has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. The renewed castle today sits atop the footprint of the original medieval castle dating as early as the 14th century. You can see a distinction in the brickwork where the old footprint remains as different types of bricks were intentionally used.
The earliest records of Castle de Haar or Kasteel de Haar date back to 1391 when the de Haars, a local family of nobility from Utrecht took possession. In 1440 it was bequeathed to the Van Zuylen van Nievelt family where it remained until this century.
Baroness Rothschild’s Renovation
After the union of the Van Zuylen and Rothschild families (yes, the Rothschilds) a 20-year refurbishment of the derelict property was undertaken in 1892, financed by Rothschild and led by architect Pierre Cuypers, famous for designing Amsterdam’s Central Station and Rijksmuseum. Part of that project included the restoration of the grounds and the relocation of the entire village of Haarzuilens to build the park-like setting.
| ©️ travellifebalance.com
Breathtaking Interior of Castle de Haar
Inside you will find a stunning display of exquisite glass and woodwork within its 200 rooms, designed by the famous Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers. The castle was rebuilt with all of the most modern amenities available at the time including electric lighting, refrigeration and full central heating.
The interior is lavishly decorated with belongings of the Rothschild family including paintings by Dutch Masters, imported pottery from Asia, and Flemish tapestries.
Gardens modelled after Versailles
Local legend has it that the garden’s 7000 trees were relocated from the opposite side of Utrecht so that the gardens would appear mature. It is said that a number of houses had to be removed to accommodate their transport through the city of Utrecht. Resembling the gardens at Versailles, the 135-acre grounds today are equally as stunning.
Castle de Haar’s Astounding Kitchen
Touring the inside of the castle, the room I found myself most struck by was the amazing copper kitchen with a massive French cast-iron oven measuring six metres in length. The oven, we were told, was originally transported to the castle in one piece. A marvel of the 19th century, this Coal fired appliance keeps the kitchen at a sweltering 40c when in use.
Tragedy struck in 1912
The Van Zuylen’s eldest son Hélin was tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident in 1912 at the young age of 24. The Rose Garden on the Estate was built to commemorate his life and tragic loss.
While touring de Haar Castle we were fortunate to speak to a number of knowledgeable people stationed within the castle that eagerly took our questions and shared the interesting stories and cultural significance of the property. Don’t forget to ask about the celebrities that have stayed in the castle!
Finding and getting to de Haar Castle
Navigating to the Castle you find yourself taking a scenic journey through a number of windy roads through small villages within close proximity to Utrecht.
The Castle is located at: Kasteellaan 1, 3455 RR Utrecht, Netherlands
It takes about two hours to tour the inside of de Haar Castle, and another hour to walk around the grounds.
Admission to the Castle and Grounds
€ 19,00 Adults / € 12.50 Children for castle and grounds admission, Free with Museum Card.
There is parking onsite at the main entrance, a ticket costs €6.00.
See website for tickets.